This invention relates to prosthetic heart valves, and more particularly to apparatus for use in holding such valves prior to and during implantation of the valve in a patient.
Prosthetic heart valves are used for replacing diseased and/or deficient valves in a patient's heart. For example, a patient's mitral and/or aortic valves may need to be replaced by such prostheses. One illustrative type of prosthetic heart valve includes animal tissue that has been treated to make it suitable for long-term use in a patient's body. Prior to implantation, such tissue valves may need to be stored in a liquid that preserves the tissue and keeps it flexible. During the implantation procedure, the prosthetic tissue valve is removed from the storage liquid, rinsed extensively to remove any vestige of that liquid, and then implanted in the patient, typically in an “open heart” surgical procedure. In addition, during the implantation procedure, it may be desirable to temporarily modify the shape of the prosthetic tissue valve in certain respects in order to facilitate getting the valve into place in the patient with good visualization and with good access for suturing the valve to native tissue of the patient. For example, this temporary shape modification may include deflecting free end portions of the commissural posts of the prosthetic tissue valve radially inwardly. This shape modification is preferably done just prior to the implantation procedure to avoid any part of the valve taking an undesirable “set” during prolonged deformation.
The above aspects of prosthetic tissue valve handling may be aided by associating the valve with a so-called holder. This association may include a suture connection between the valve and the holder. The holder can be used to hold the valve in its storage liquid. When it is desired to use (implant) the valve, a handle can be removably attached to the holder to remove the holder and valve from the storage liquid and to hold those components during the above-described rinsing. Attachment of the handle to the holder (or subsequent manipulation of the handle relative to the holder) may also be used to cause the above-described temporary deformation of the valve. The handle may also be used to place the holder and valve in the patient. The handle may be removed from the holder during suturing of the valve into the patient. The handle may then be re-attached to the holder so that when the sutures connecting the valve to the holder are cut, the handle can be used to remove the holder from the patient, leaving only the valve in the patient.
From the foregoing it will be seen that efficient, easy, and reliable handle and holder attaching, detaching, and re-attaching are highly desirable. Improvements to this (and related aspects) of prosthetic heart valve apparatus are therefore sought.